Finding the right one
by nocloudypooh
Summary: A series of oneshots following the Dexholders as they look for their "right one". Who knew that it takes this many wrong to be right, or that it's such a difficult process? But they can still be friends, right? Who will they finally end up with? (Pairings list in my bio) [Latest chapter: Gold x Crystal]
1. Silver x Blue: I'll be your rock

**Chapter 1: Silver x Blue**

For as long as he remembers, Silver has been looking up to Blue. She is afterall, a full 3 years older than him, towering over him for much of their childhood. It was only when he reached puberty and had his growth spurt that he finally towered over her in height. But he still looked up to her as he always did, seeing her as the strong and determined spirit she is.

They have always been close, sharing their deepest secrets, thoughts and fears with each other. Except for one thing - Silver can never bring himself to tell Blue that she is more than a sister to him. He is afraid. What if telling her will change their relationship for the worse? And a part of him doesn't believe it will ever work out between them when he is three years younger. Afterall, they were already like siblings the moment they had met.

He can count the number of times he had seen her crying with his fingers.

The first time was when they first met, when Green was kidnapped and brought to the Masked Man. She was sobbing from the traumatic experience, right before the mask of ice was placed upon her. They reached for each other for comfort, and from then on, they supported each other through the terrible experiences as a Masked Child.

She never cried again during their times as a Masked Child, repressing her tears to be strong for herself and Silver. Even when she was upset and afraid of the Masked Man when he lashed out at her for wanting to nickname her Pokemon, she never let her tears drop. "It's a sign of weakness," she says, and he believed her, even though her body language says otherwise.

Of course, she uses her tears to her advantage when she needed to. "Boys are easy to fool when girls cry," she says. And of course he trusts her on that. He can never stand it when he sees others cry, and he is thankful that Blue isn't the weepy kind. But Blue breaks down too - that time when she was exposed at the Pokemon League, when she was forced to face the Legendary Birds that kidnapped her at the final battle against the Masked Man, having her parents disappear right in front of her eyes.

And then there's right now, as Blue cries on his shoulder like it's the end of the world.

"He's a jerk," she whimpers, tears rolling down her cheeks, staining his jacket wet.

"It's alright, you don't need a jerk like him," he soothes, though he is feeling murderous inside.

"He said that he would never ever go out with me even if I was the last person on earth," she continues sobbing, the blunt words slicing her heart apart.

As Silver sees Blue crying so pitifully after she is rejected by Green, he decides that Blue needs him more than he needs her. She has stayed strong for him for so long, why can't he do the same for her? So he lets himself move on, so that he can be the constant rock in Blue's life that she can turn to, and not the one that she has to turn away from.

* * *

A/N:

Hope you liked the first installment of my new series. Each chapter will be a one-shot featuring a specific pairing but everything joins up together to form a story plot. If you like how this is going, please do follow and come back for the other shippings. There is going to be a lot of heartbreaks in this story, since this is a story about the Dexholders finding their right one (and for some, many wrong ones along the way). Generally, the later the shipping appears, the more stable the ship is, though there are some exceptions to this rule.

Not all stories are as short as this. It varies depending on the pairing. There isn't any need for too much context for this pairing so I wrote less. Please review as well, and let me know if you liked this (or not) and any improvements you feel is required. Constructive criticism is very much appreciated (:


	2. Crystal x Green: Silence

Quick note: _italics means thinking_

* * *

 **Chapter 2: Crystal x Green**

Green had found Crystal one day sitting in the lab, tears pouring silently down her cheeks as piles of work lay in front of her, untouched. It was night time, and most people would have left the lab, except for the one crying girl, and the boy who didn't know what to do. He offered her comfort, made her a warm drink, lent her his shoulders and took her out to dinner after she had calmed down, her eyes no longer puffy.

They had gotten together not long after that, just weeks after Crystal and Gold had officially broke up. So Green pretends he doesn't know, that he had just been a convenient shoulder to lean on when Crystal needed it the most.

He doesn't doubt Crystal's feelings for him though. What he doubts is Crystal's feelings for _them._

 _When was the last time we physically saw each other?_ Green wondered, as he gazed at Crystal through the computer screen.

They are both very similar people. That is a fact. It's the glue that held them together, it's what gotten them together, as they went from senior/junior, to friends and finally to a couple.

They spend most of their time in silence. Green isn't the romantic type, but he has his own way of expressing his feelings. And Crystal knows it. So they are content to spend the time together in comfortable silence, just enjoying each other's company, holding hands, leaning against each other. Perhaps their conversations are always centred around interesting things they came across or work related topics.

Eventually, Crystal is asked to head to the other regions to complete the Pokedex as well, a request by the Professor that she cannot reject, because it's her job and she's indebted to the professor.

She speaks to Green about this and he nods, agreeing, understanding that she has to do this, trying not to betray any emotions.

"We'll be fine," she promised, and Green only nods, not trusting himself to speak, letting himself believe in her words.

Crystal spends a long time in the other regions: Hoenn, Sinnoh and Unova. Maybe even Kalos in the future. Being the workaholic she was, she only allowed herself the weekends to take a break, spending the other days capturing all sorts of Pokemon. Which to Green meant video calls just once a week.

Initially Crystal didn't minded, and was always looking forward to seeing him on screen. She texts him occasionally - small snippets of information, things that happens to her, interesting sights she saw. But Green hardly replies her text, because he doesn't know what to reply, and doesn't have any interesting thing to share with her because he hardly see anybody else now that Crystal is not near him. So he chose to keep silent, believing that Crystal understands, trusting that they are strong enough to handle this. _Wasn't she the one who promised me that everything will be fine?_

Crystal however finds herself getting rather dejected from the silence. She knows it's not his fault, because that's how he has always been, and she shouldn't expect him to be any different now. But she doesn't know what she could do to remedy the situation. They update each other on their lives during their video calls, but beyond that there is nothing else to say, no common topic that could sustain a conversation, or a video call for that matter. They realised, that silence isn't meant for video calls, which only made it louder than it actually is, further than they actually are.

It's not like their physical silence moments, because even when you are physically not talking to each other, you can have physical interations - holding hands, stroking each other's arms, twirling around each other, smiling. It's just not the same.

Crystal eventually breaks the silence by confronting the issue that ought to have been done ages ago. "Do you think things have changed between us?"

Green looks at her, trying not to betray any hopelessness, well aware of the implications, but he doesn't know what he can do to salvage the situation. "Do you feel any different about this?"

Crystal bit her lip, not answering any of their questions.

 _This isn't what is supposed to happen._

"Let's break up."

Green looked up at her, trying to see past her eyes. "Is that what you want?"

"It's not what I want, but it's what I feel we should do."

More silence.

"Ok."

And that was the end of it all.

In all honesty, Crystal hadn't expect Green to agree so readily. She thought he might put up a fight. Or maybe she had wished he would do that. But to Green, it just felt right to end this now, before they end up hurting each other more. _Isn't that why Crystal brought it up in the first place?_ he reasoned.

Green sat in front of his computer, long after their video call has ended. The relationship ends there, but you can't put an off switch onto your feelings. So he does the next logical thing he knows.

"Help me look after her," he instructs Silver over the PokeGear.

It was never meant to work out, simply because they were too alike. They needed someone who can colour their life, not someone who offers a mirror. So just like how they started, they ended off with silence.

* * *

Notes:

You will find that there isn't really any fixed timeline for this story. I don't intend to give a specific age. preferring to leave them all arbitary, though I do tend to envision them as being in a range of ages or having experience certain events as I write them. For this story, I see Crystal as being older than 16 (post-HGSS arc) when they first got together, and Green is just older in relation to Crystal. You would notice that the story spans a long time (again, an arbitrary amount of time, but at least a few years), so with regards to the chronological manner in which I plan the story, it is the most "recent" or "current" event that matters (which in this case, the scene where they broke up).

Hope that makes sense. Also, the each story also give hints/clues to other pairings/characters that are important in later chapters. For instance, we know from the previous chapter that Blue is rejected by Green, and from this chapter, Crystal had broke up with Gold. Also, a reminder again that shippings are not set in stone until that particular pairing has been written.

A/N:

And the ship has officially sunk. Have been writing on CrystallineJade (Crystal/Green) for the longest time so it's time for me to move on! To me, what ties Crystal and Green together are how similar they both are, but at the same time, their similar personality would also not work out in different contexts, which is what I am presenting here as opposed my other CrystallineJade stories.

The style of this story focuses more on the atmosphere, while based on a loose plot. Which I guess is why the stories end up quite a bit shorter. I do hope that the shortness didn't detract from the story itself, but that was how the story flowed for me. Again, let me know what you think about this by reviewing, or feel free to request for a specific pairing, and I'll see if I can work the pairing into the story if it hasn't already been written!


	3. Platinum, Pearl, Diamond: Trio

Quick notes: _italics between 3 dots (...) aligned left means flashback, while 3 dots ... mark section breaks_

* * *

 **Chapter 3: Platinum, Pearl, Diamond**

Platinum woke up just like any other day on the 5th anniversary of the start of her journey around Sinnoh. She feels a sense of deja vu, of the feeling that things are going to change. Indeed, it was almost like that day, because she knew her life is about to change with just a decision.

She walked over to her dressing table, staring at the two rings that had adorned her hands daily for the past few years: on the left, a rock of ultimate toughness, and on the right, a jewel of ultimate refinement.

 _If I could only pick one of them, which shall it be?_ A voice asked in her head.

Platinum shut her eyes, willing the question to disappear. It had been a difficult one, ever since she accidentally found out that both her best friends had a crush on her. Platinum wasn't eavesdropping. She never eavesdrop. She just happen to overhear them talking one day when they thought she wasn't around.

 _(...)_

 _"Dia, do you like Missy?" Pearl had asked._

 _"... Yeah," Diamond replied, smiling that small smile of his._

 _"Do you like her too, Pearl?"_

 _"... Yes, I do," Pearl admitted, feeling slightly guilty._

 _"We're best friends, right?"_

 _"Always," Pearl answered._

 _"Then we shouldn't let anything get in our way," Diamond smiled._

 _(...)_

In all honesty, Platinum haven expected that at all. She had only thought of them as her best friends and never considered the possibility of a romantic relationship with either of them. They were always just a trio, of willpower, emotion and knowledge that complemented each other. She prayed that the fact today was their friendship anniversary would act as a talisman to protect their close relationship. Opening her eyes, she reached for two pieces of paper and begin to pen the letters which may just change her entire life.

...

Platinum reached the designated meeting spot 15 minutes before the meeting time at 4 pm. She hadn't want to be late, and decided to reach early to allow herself to reminisce.

It's the same spot that she had met Diamond and Pearl, she remembers. Things were so different then, them thinking she was the tour guide and she thinking they were her bodyguards. Those were the days, when she sees herself above commoners and ordered them around. A few years on and she's much humbler, and they were equals as friends. At least they would be, if what Platinum wished for would come true.

The clock ticked closer to the designated meeting time, and Platinum got more nervous. She couldn't see any sign of Diamond or Pearl anywhere. Up till then, she hadn't thought about what to do if either or both of them refuse to turn up. _That wouldn't happen right?_

A beep from her Poketch tells her that it is already 4 pm. Platinum stood there unbelieving, refusing to accept that her two close friends would refuse to come. She shut her eyes and clenched her fists tightly, willing them to turn up. Through closed eyes, she heard the shound of muffled steps in the sand and wondered if she had caused herself to hallucinate.

"Missy?"

Platinum's eyes shot wide open at her name. It was Pearl, looking over her concernedly. For a moment, neither spoke, both just staring at each other as Platinum tried to compose herself.

She failed though, bursting out into tears and leaped at Pearl, hugging him tightly. "You came," she cried through tears.

Awkwardly, Pearl hugged Platinum back and slowly patted her as a form of comfort. "Of course I did," he replied.

It took a while for Platinum to stop her tears from rolling, though she continued to hiccup from the crying. "But where's Diamond?" She asked.

Pearl's face fell. "I don't know," he said softly.

Her Poketch shows 430pm, half an hour after the designated meeting time. Even if Diamond is late, he wouldn't have been this late, especially not for something so important.

"No," she breathed, as reality struck her and tears threatened to fall all over again.

"Missy," Pearl began, his hands reaching out to her.

"No," she repeated louder, as if that could change the truth.

"No!" she cried out loud, crumpling to the ground in an emotional wreck.

"Missy..." Pearl murmured, unsure of how best to comfort her.

The wind blew, gently whipping Platinum's hair as she remained crouched on the floor. It was a gentle breeze, blowing on a cool spring evening, across and the sand and the newly bloomed flowers. It's a quiet wind, unsounding as it breezes past one's ears, carrying murmurs of voices from distance beyond.

"Pearl! Missy!"

Pearl heard it first, barely audible over Platinum's sobbing. He squinted in the direction where the faint voice came from, and made out a figure heading hurriedly towards them. Pearl felt relief overtake him as he let out a breath he didn't know he had held.

"Missy?" He called gently. "Look over there."

Reluctantly, Platinum raised her head to reveal red puffy eyes. "Over there," Pearl repeated, gesturing to the direction of the figure.

"Pearl! Missy!" came the voice again, this time much louder than before.

The figure was much closer to them now, and even Platinum could recognise without a doubt that Diamond is approaching them despite her puffy eyes. Wiping off the tears streaks on her face, Platinum stood up with grace and waited for Diamond to reach them.

"Pearl! Missy!" Panted Diamond as he finally neared them, simultaneously lunged and embraced the two of them in a tight gripping hug. "I'm sorry for being late."

"You came," Platinum whispered, squeezing him back, "I thought you wouldn't come."

Diamond released them from his embrace and looked at Platinum directly. "Of course I'll come," he smiled gently at Platinum, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Platinum smiled a grateful smile at Diamond and Pearl. "Thank you both for coming, this means a lot for me."

It was a beautiful moment, Platinum notes. Her smiling at her two best friends despite her puffy eyes, and them smiling and grinning back at her.

"Say Diamond, let's perform a double act for Missy now!"

"Ehh? Now? Alright!"

"When you think of Pokemon!"

"When you think of Pokemon!"

"You'll think of time won't you?"

"Time? Why is that!"

"Well you see, battling is all about timing. And time is important when you need to meet important people like gym leaders or the elite four.""

"Ah yes! I remember the time we had to wait for the delicious courses at the restaurant at Valor Lakefront.." Diamond responded, drooling as he thought of all the food they had.

"Not the timing of food, you ninny!" *smack*

"Say, what else do you think timing is important for?" Pearl asked, turning to Diamond. Who happened to be munching on food.

"Gee Pearl, what a bad timing to be asking that! I think you need to brush up on your sense of timing, don't you know we shouldn't talk while we eat?"

*SMACK*

"Says the one who was so late just now!"

Platinum giggled, and clapped politely as always after their double act has ended. Diamond is right, she wouldn't have it any other way.

She stretched out both her hands. "Friends?"

"Friends," they both said, grasping onto her hand.

And just like that, Platinum knows she would never forget this moment in her life.

(...)

 _Dear Diamond and Pearl,_

 _It has come to my realisation lately that both of you treat me as more than a friend. I must apologise, because I accidentally overheard a conversation both of you had last week._

 _I had spent the past week seriously thinking about this, and about how I feel for both of you. It had been a difficult decision, but I have finally made up my mind._

 _I am sorry, but I cannot be in a relationship with either of you. Both of you are really precious friends to me, and I do not wish to ruin our friendship by being romantically involved with either of you._

 _I hope that you will not be upset at my decision. All I wish is that we can continue our friendship as a trio._

 _Today is the 5th anniversary of our meeting and friendship. As such I would like to meet both of you in front of Jubilife Building, where we first met. If you can accept my decision, which I hope you would, please meet me there at 4 pm. If you do not turn up, I will take that you are unable to accept this decision and wish to terminate our friendship._

 _I sincerely hope to see you later at 4 pm._

 _Platinum_

(...)

(It is revealed later, that Diamond is late because he accidentally fell asleep after lunch time.)

* * *

Notes:

A lot of this one-shot is based from scenes from the manga, in terms of the atmosphere and interactions between the characters. While I had never really empathised with the characters from the DPP arc, I found it easy to get into character, which really tells how well developed these characters are in their own right. Hence, the behaviour of the characters in this story is how I truly think the characters will act if this scenario were to occur in canon. Platinum as always, is a serious character and formal to others, even if they are her friends. I allowed Platinum to break down in this story because she never actually did so in canon, and I believe she holds things close and dear to her heart even if she may appear distant. We see the gentle side of Pearl in this story, somewhat similar to the scene where he made things up with Diamond after the big argument at Celestic Town. And Diamond as always, is just Diamond.

A/N:

I contemplated for a very long time how to treat this trio. It's two rather conflicting shipping, though I am not entirely convinced of the "evidence" of either shipping, even if I personally think that Diamond stands a higher chance. There is also the issue of what happens to the other person if the other two got together because from their very beginnings of characters in the story canon, they had always been presented as a trio. In the end, I decided that having them stay friends is the most appropriate action, at least in the eyes of Platinum who finds both of them equally important and cherish their friendship very much.

Also, that was a first attempt at writing double act.. I don't think I have a flair for it but I felt it necessary for this one-shot. Double acts follow wherever Diamond and Platinum both are! It is also symbolic of the trio's friendship I feel; the ending of the Platinum arc shows Diamond and Pearl performing a double act for Platinum just because they hadn't seen each other for a long while.


	4. Lyra x Gold: No Regrets

Quick note: _italics_ represents emphasis in addition to thoughts

* * *

 **Chapter 4: Lyra x Gold**

In many ways, Gold is like a Prince Charming to Lyra. He smiles as radiant as the sun, his gold eyes shine with a certain beauty to it, and his jokes always make her laugh, no matter how ridiculous or stupid they are. In that way, she's rather different from her twin sister, Crystal, who could never withstand any of Gold's jokes, even when they were dating.

Dating. With her sister. Lyra knows she shouldn't harbour any thoughts of Gold but she just couldn't help can anyone really control their feelings? She doubts it. She keeps it hidden though, because it's her sister afterall and she couldn't do anything wrongful to her. _Never_.

It certainly wasn't an obsession she felt with Gold. Or an inferiority complex that it was her sister who won the heart of Gold. Granted, they had known each other longer, and she probably would never have met Gold if not for Crystal. But it was her sister, _her dead-serious, no-nonsense sister_ that had won the heart of the most notorious joker and prankster Lyra had known her entire life.

But when she found out that Crystal and Gold had broke up, she felt hopeful, like the sun has finally peeked out after days and days of thunderstorm. Sure, she felt guilty too for feeling that spark of happiness when both Crystal and Gold are both feeling miserable about. But maybe, just _maybe_ , she could have the very thing that she had dreamed of for the longest time, and she wasn't about to give it all up again this time. So when Gold asked her out a month after he and Crystal broke up, she agreed without an afterthought, her head giddy with joy and euphoria.

Going out with Gold was like how she had imagined it to be, but better because it was real and not something she dreamed of. He's the fun, playful boyfriend, while she is his equally fun-loving counterpart albeit more clumsy and scatterbrained. For a first relationship, it really wasn't too bad for Lyra, and it was as beautiful as it could get for the hopeless romantic in her.

She ignores the nagging thought that is always at the back of her mind though. That Gold picked her because she looks like Crystal. That she was only a rebound. That she's always second-best. _Focus on the present_ , she will tell herself. So each time Gold asked her what's wrong, she'll shake her head and smile like nothing is wrong.

Her worst fears came true one day, when Gold called her over the PokeGear, saying something about being unable to do this anymore and wants to breakup with her. She begged him, she remembers, wailing out loud, tears pouring like there's no tomorrow. It didn't moved him though, and all he did was to mumble a sorry before hanging up with a click, leaving Lyra to deal with it all alone.

Breakup over a phone call. _That must be one of the lowest time of my life_ , she thinks, to be ditched over a _phone call_. He had been such a jerk when they broke up, and also such a coward, for not being able to say that to her face. Angry and hurt, she hunted the entire Johto and then Kanto for five days before she finally found him and gave him what he deserved.

It took her a while to finally not feel bitter about it. And even longer to get over Gold. But she could never forget him completely. While Gold had truly been a jerk to her when they broke up, they did spent a good time as a couple. At least, they was how Lyra saw it - he's her first love afterall. To his credit, Gold treated Lyra with respect as an individual, never as Crystal's sister, or Crystal's substitute. _I guess I should be grateful that he never did confuse me with Crystal._

Does she regret it? It was painful, yes. But no, she doesn't regret it. Because for the hopeless romantic in her, the process of it all was perfect enough for her.

Afterall, she did loved him once with all her heart.

* * *

Notes:

While Lyra is not canon in the manga, I always like to view Lyra as part of the gang because she adds that little synergy to the other characters, particularly the Johto trio. And I do like her appearance in other stories I've read. A little bit more on the backstory that I imagine Crystal and Lyra to have: they are twin sisters brought up apart because their parents separated, so each parent got the custody of one girl. I always thought it funny that when Crystal's mum was introduced in the manga, she called Crystal "my favourite daughter", which kinds of suggest that she has more than one daughter. At least that's how think it.

This was done from Lyra's POV to give some mystery to Gold's reasoning for acting the way he did, which will be revealed in a later chapter. I didn't include Crystal response from the POV of Lyra in this chapter too, because it didn't feel appropriate, and I'm not sure I want to do it at all. We'll see about that.

A/N:

Another short chapter. This hadn't been easy to write, mostly because I didn't have any inspiration for this. But I needed to write this, because I wanted to show that Gold had "moved on" from breaking up with Crystal too, as part of maturing. I know there are a lot of mystery on this now, but I promise everything will be revealed in a later chapter.

I also realised that the Kanto Dexholders didn't have too much screen time at the moment.. Well more will be coming up soon! I actually rearranged the chapter orders so that there wouldn't be too much Johto Dexholders in a row. I'm not sure why, but in terms of chronological progression, it made more sense this way. Hopefully it makes more sense to you too as you read on.

As usual, review to let me know what you think, and follow the story to catch the subsequent chapters of how the story unfolds.


	5. Yellow x Green: Chance

**Chapter 5: Yellow x Green**

It's Yellow's birthday, and Blue has planned a party-cum-gathering for all the Dexholders. Not everyone has arrived yet though, some unable to come, some... that no one knows if they would come. One missing Dexholder stands out though, and Yellow could help but fidget and get nervous as she waits for Red to turn up, wondering how he would look like now after so many years.

She's turning 21 this year, a momentous occasion, the age of legal adulthood. It's a deadline she set herself, to be brave, to get her feelings out in the open, and hopefully for something more beautiful to emerge. If she has waited so long for him, surely all that waiting has not been in vain? If he doesn't show up, Yellow has decided to give him up, because why wait for a guy who doesn't put her on his priority list and makes her waits? But she refuses to think of that possibility yet, holding on to that last thread of hope that still exists in her almost-broken heart.

She moves distractedly around her own party, barely registering the people who wished her a 'Happy Birthday', nor their kind gifts on her big day. The other Dexholders tried to occupy her mind, talking to her, trying to make her laugh, but she could see it all in their faces. _Pity_ , she thought, _they're pitying me_ , as the murmurs of hers and Red's name float through the air like poison, wearing away her last thread of hope.

The clock ticked, and seconds passed after seconds. And then it's almost ten, and she realises with a jolt that Red was never going to turn up anyway. Broken by her own revelation, Yellow ran out of her house and wept, surrounded by the familiar comfort of the forest, sky and the moon. The wind blew, but she can't stop now, not when she has started, as she released the dam she placed there for years. She hears footsteps behind her but she has lost all hope, her head bowed, and it didn't matter who it was anymore.

"Yellow.." Green called, watching her small figure crouched down on the ground.

There was no response for a while, with only the sounds of sniffings punctuating the air. "He's not coming," she finally said.

Slowly, Green approach the blond-haired girl, and gently pulled her into an embrace, letting Yellow cry on his shoulder. "Yellow.." he murmured once more, wrapping the crying girl safely within his arms.

"He's not coming," she choked. "I thought he might because it's my 21st." she sobbed.

They lingered like that for a while, allowing Yellow to cry to her heart's content, to release all her hurt in the form of tears, and to begin the long and arduous process of mending her heart.

"Maybe he isn't worth your time, Yellow." Green voiced, as the sobs became sniffles.

She only sniffed in response, no longer capable of tears.

"You are a lovely girl, Yellow. And you deserve more attention than that."

"This hurts," she said quietly, clutching at her heart where it aches the most.

Green place a hand on the back of her head, bringing her closer to him. "You'll heal. You'll get better, because you have friends who will support you. You have Blue. You have the other Dexholders. You have me. Everyone who came here today just to spend your birthday with you."

Something clicked in her, and the emptiness within her starts to fill with a small warmth.

"You're right, Green." Yellow said as she looked up and wiped the tears away from her face. "Today's my birthday, I should not be acting like this. I need to go back to my friends who are waiting for back in the house," she managed a small smile.

Smiling slightly to himself, Green reached his hands out to wipe the rest of her tears streaks away. "That's more like the Yellow I know."

She got to her feet slowly, and began to head back to the house, determined to leave all this behind and move on.

"Yellow," Green called from behind her, causing her to pause in her steps and turn to look at the tall boy.

Green closed the gap between them, planting a light kiss on Yellow's forehead, his hands resting her on small waist. Breaking apart, he looks Yellow in the eye, and said steadily, "I want you to know, that I'm serious. I will be here for you whenever you need it, if you are willing to give me a chance."

"Green.."

"Let's go back, everyone else is worried for you."

Back in the house, Yellow was immediately glomped by the other Dexholder, who took turns to hug her and making jokes in an attempt to cheer her up. But unlike earlier in the evening, Yellow is no longer distracted, genuinely enjoying herself in the company of her friends, and the bright smile on her face is the prove of that. Her heart still hurts though, and her emotions still confused, but as Green watched from the sidelines, he is relieved that Yellow is at least making an attempt to stay strong for the people who care for her.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **And here are the Kanto characters again as promised! This was actually the first pairing that I wrote for this series, but was pushed backwards as I plan how I want the storyline to progress. The story is really starting to pick up from here, though there are still a lot of pairings to go before the series ends. Here's a preview of the pairings for upcoming chapters:**

 **Silver x Crystal**  
 **Red x Yellow**  
 **Silver x Lyra**  
 **Gold x Crystal**  
 **Blue x Red**  
 **Lance x Yellow**  
 **Ruby x Sapphire**

 **Do check back if you would like to see how things goes for the rest of the pairings! As always, review and let me know what you think of this story!**


	6. Silver x Crystal: Trust

**Chapter 6: Silver x Crystal**

Silver was surprised, to say the least, to receive a phone call from Green. Even more surprising was the content of the phone call, a simple sentence telling him to "help him look after her". Of course, he knew who Green was referring to even without mentioning her name. They had the understanding like that since the Team Rocket incident, something that neither Blue nor Gold can figure out.

In retrospect, Silver found it funny that he never found the request weird. He had been closest to Blue among the female Dexholders, and Crystal is just an acquaintance, part of the Johto Dexholder trio, a friend whom he endured life and death with? But given the situation, there probably wasn't anyone else suitable for the job (nor was there any other plausible candidate for "her").

He had packed up soon after, boarding the plane to the far flung region of Kalos, where Crystal was on her quest to capture all the Kalosian pokemon. It didn't take too long to find her too, sitting quietly at the cafe in the beautiful city of Laverre. She hadn't been too surprised to see him, looking up at him with those blue eyes of hers, a silent invitation to join her. Silver suspects she knows, knows why he is there, though she never did ask or comment on it. _Well, she was always a smart girl._

They became travel companions as Crystal traveled around Kalos, catching pokemon to complete the pokedex. It opened his eyes, for Kalos is so unlike Kanto or Johto. It's scenic views, rustic cities, the culture, and everywhere he looked, it's like they are taken out of a painting.

Of course it goes without saying then, that Silver learnt a lot of things about her (and himself) while they traveled together.

Like how her eyes shine when she see something new for the first time (and of course it's not surprising that her eyes go exceptionally bright when she sees a new Pokemon for the first time).

How she curls up when she sleeps, her face peaceful and relaxed. (Silver finds it odd that he picked up the habit of watching someone else sleep at night, when he was sure he never did it before.)

The many shades of her indigo hair when the sunlight shines on it, (and how his breath would hitched when the sun hits her hair in a particular angle, and she smiles at him in that beautiful smile of hers.)

He finds it funny, that for a serious person, Crystal can be rather reckless. Like chasing after a pokemon she hadn't caught yet without giving a thought about it, in the middle of the night, through the _forest._ Of course something would have to happen when they do something so silly, and he still had the scars to prove that night's adventures. He thinks that perhaps Gold's recklessness had rubbed off her a little when they were dating (though he know better than to say that out loud to Crystal), and he couldn't help but feel just a tiny bit of jealousy at Gold, envious of how he had affected her.

And of course, Crystal's favourite things in the world are the stars in the sky, which is why they are sitting out in the open fields off Route 15, watching the stars like every night when the weather allows.

"Poke for your thoughts?" a feminine voice jolt him out of his thoughts.

He inclined his head to the right, noting the pair of bright blue eyes that are watching him curiously. "Nothing much, just thinking that it's a good night."

Crystal nodded, satisfied with the answer and humming in agreement.

They both turned back to the skies, and Silver can't help but remember another time like this, when her eyes had been tears-filled just after their night trawling through the forest. It had been an emotional night for Crystal, as she sobbed over how her recklessness has hurt to other pokemon yet _again_. He doesn't know what exactly she is talking about, but still he held her close like how it would help Blue when she had her rare emotional breakdown in front of him, gently rubbing circles on her back. He had been puzzled, but decided it was better not to ask.

"You look pretty even when you are crying. But I like it more when you smile," Silver had said, raising his hands to wipe away Crystal's tears. He isn't sure what made him do that then, but it felt right to comfort her like that, to cradle her face in his hands. Crystal had flushed at his actions, but hadn't said anything else. They never brought up the incident again after that day.

He realised, when he broke out of his thoughts, that he had inched closer to Crystal subconsciously. (Or was it Crystal who had moved closer without him realising?)

"Silver?" Crystal called tentatively.

Not for the first time that night, he found himself lost in those bright blue orbs of hers. He isn't sure how it happened, but he find himself compelled to lean towards Crystal, closing the distance between them, his gaze locked intensely with hers. Her eyes reflect surprise, unsure of how to respond, which only made Silver want to reach for her more, to make him want _her_ more. Any moment now, their lips are going to meet-

A passing wingull cawed, causing both of them to jump and break apart. Their startled wide eyes met each other before they both turned away flushing furiously, refusing to meet each other's eyes, and silence fell between them.

(On his side, Silver mentally cursed himself for not having that little bit of restrain.)

"You know, it's not going to work out anyway," Crystal whispered a while later.

Silver glanced sideway at her, taking in her wistful expression and the tiny smile tugging at the end of her lips. "How do you know?"

"You remind me too much of Green." she said simply.

Silence fell over them again, as Silver took in her words. He doesn't know what exactly happened between Green and Crystal, but he knows enough to piece a pretty good guess. Crystal may have a restless streak in her, but she is still a careful person afterall.

"We're still friends right?" he asked.

Crystal turned to gave him smile. "Of course we are."

* * *

Notes:

Chapter is named trust because of the trust and understanding between Crystal and Silver, and how Silver trusted Crystal's judgment on their relationship (friendship).

A/N:

I'm back! Sorry all for the long break, I had been very pre-occupied with school and lost a lot of motivation in doing things in general. My friend also pointed out that most of my creative energy had been spent in music (orchestra rehearsals) so even though I didn't do any other creative stuff like art and writing, I didn't feel like I was in a creative slump (thankfully). Greetings to all the new followers for the story! I'm happy that you found interest in this story (:

This chapter has seen many edits and revision, and I eventually decide to settle on this, which is very different from the original draft I wrote. The main idea is still the same, and the last scene was kept from the original draft as well. I contemplated ending off with Crystal saying "Always." (Harry Potter anyone?) and I pushed off publishing this to choose between the two lines. I still can't really choose, because both are beautiful in their own right, but I felt that the one I wrote above seems a little bit more appropriate.

Let me know what you think in the reviews, or just say hi and let me get to know you! I'm also running dry on pokemon stories to read on FF so if anyone has any good recommendations, please do let me know as well (:

I can't say for sure when the next time I will update.. I'll try to work in writing into my schedule/rhythm so at least it would go to the back of my mind! Thanks everyone for the continued support!


	7. Blue x Green: Cogitation

_Chapter 7: Green x Blue (Cogitation)_

 _Cogitation (noun): the action of thinking deeply into something_

The building stood tall in front of her, the word "GYM" clearly written on the outside. The white paint of the walls shows a little more wear, but otherwise the same as it looked 5 years ago, when she last stepped into the building. Blue felt intimidated by its structure, though not for the same reasons she imagines others who stood in the same spot as her has, breathing heavily as she tried to calm herself down. The area was quiet, since nobody really come to this part of Viridian City except for challengers, and even those were few and far between. Taking a deep breath, she slowly and surely walked towards the front door, gently pushing it open.

"Hello?" she called, immediately noting the semi-dark state of the gym as she walked in. She wondered if he was away, but quickly shook off the thought since she hadn't heard anything from Yellow. A shuffling of footsteps caught her attention, and she turned her head towards the back of a gym, where a door leads off to the gym leader's private quarters.

Sure enough, the door opened and a figure walked out.

"We're closed to gym challengers to-" Green started to say automatically, stopping short when he noticed who was standing in front of him.

A tense silence ensured, with both parties staring at each other for a moment.

"Blue," Green began after he found his tongue again. "Haven't seen you around in a while. What brings you here?"

Blue gave a small wistful smile. "Yeah, haven come by since that day..."

Another awkward silence followed, as they both thought back to the last time Blue had stopped by the Viridian Gym.

A while was an understatement, Blue thought, since she hasn't step foot into the Viridian Gym since five years ago, on That Day, as she has come to refer to it. It brought back too much hurt and painful memories of being rejected so callously, and she had avoided interacting with Green on a one-to-one basis since then. In fact, she would still have avoided it if not for the fact that there was something important she needs to tell him personally.

She breathed out a sigh and continued, "I have something to tell you."

Green raised an eyebrows, slightly confused and intrigued since Blue was hardly this serious.

"It's about Red."

Immediately, she could see the change in Green demeanor, as his eyebrows scrunched together in annoyance.

"He's at the hospital," she added before Green could retort anything.

Stunned silenced for a moment at the unexpected news, Green next words came out in a rush amidst the panic and worry for his best friend. "What? When? How?"

"He got into an accident at Mount Silver. There was a snow storm and he got caught in a landslide. He might have died if his pokemon weren't out of their pokeballs at that time." Hesitantly, she added, "It's the reason why he didn't turn up for Yellow's birthday a few months ago."

Green stilled at the new information - it suddenly became clear why Blue had chosen to spoke to him individually. He let out a frustrated sigh and brought a hand up to his face. "How long have you known this?"

Blue shifted uncomfortably at the question. "A few weeks after her birthday."

"And you chose now to tell me about this because?"

"I couldn't alright!" Blue burst out. She took a deep breath before she continued, her voice choked in emotions. "He's in a coma, and they don't know when he is going to wake up. I didn't want all of you to worry about it because frankly there's nothing we can do other than to worry. I tried to tell someone but every time I mention Red everyone goes into this indignant mode on behalf on Yellow and... it's just hard."

"Does she know?" Green asked, and Blue knew immediately who "she" is.

"No.. I can't. She.. Each time she sees me she'll just talk about you and what you two did together. I haven't seen her this happy in a long time and I just couldn't bear to shatter this," she pleaded desperately.

"Why does this have to happen?" he muttered to himself.

"We're not destined to have normal life?" she joked weakly.

"Are you going to tell her?" Blue asked after a while, looking him in the eyes. She could see the turmoil of emotions behind them - guilt, confusion, defiance, resignation, hesitation, fear - as he struggled to make a decision.

Realising that he was not going to answer her, Blue stepped forward to envelop Green in a hug. "I'm so sorry," she murmured, meaning everything she said.

A sigh. "You should go now," he responded back, a clear indication for her to leave.

Blue nodded and made her way out of the building. Once outside, she could hear the pidgeys sing again, as if nothing has happened at all. She turned back and glanced at the building, hoping with all her heart that Green will make a good decision for himself, for her, whatever that might mean.

...

Green stood leaning against the tree in Viridian Forest, patiently waiting for Yellow to appear. He's vaguely aware that Yellow is late for their meeting, but he's so preoccupied with his own thoughts it barely registered.

The forest is bustling with activities, as bug pokemon scuttle around doing their own stuff and Green found it to be oddly relaxing. It has of course been Yellow who got him into the habit of venturing into the Viridian Forest, and now that he is so used to it, he wonders why he never done it before, when his gym is just a few minutes away.

From a distance he could make out Yellow coming towards him, her hand clutching to the top of her straw hat as she ran through the forest to meet him. He smiled at the sight, taking in her flushed face from the running and probably her own embarassment at being late, the dazzling smile he received once she had caught her breath.

He nodded absentmindedly as she babbled her apologies, still internally struggling with a decision even though he had already made one when he asked her to meet him today.

"Yellow, I have something to tell you," Green started without any preamble.

And he wondered if he would have a chance to see all of that again.

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **Not much to say except thank you for being patient with the updates. This chapter never existed in my drafts, and it was something I thought of one day as I pondered a question. I won't say yet what that question is yet (spoiler alert), so you'll have to wait till the next chapter.**

 **As usual, review and let me know what you think about the chapter/story so far. My inbox is always open if you like to chat about the story and characters, or have any questions for me. Thank you for you support *hugs***


	8. Red x Yellow: Time, Fate

**Chapter 8: Red x Yellow**

Time, Fate

"Good morning," Yellow called to the nurses on duty as she entered the Violet City Hospital, receiving a cheery greeting in response as well. Having frequented the hospital everyday for the past 2 months, all the doctors and nurses working there are well acquainted with her daily visits.

"Here to see him again?" a middle-aged nurse asked her, a knowing look on her face. Not knowing what to say, Yellow merely smiled awkwardly while Chuchu made a sound of agreement perched on her shoulder. The nurse smiled kindly at her, before shooing her towards Red's hospital room.

Yellow gently pushed open the doors to the hospital ward, taking care to be quiet as she note the sleeping figure on the bed. Red lied motionless on the bed, his face peaceful as he slept away. Like every morning, Chuchu scurried off her shoulder the moment the doors opened, her paws making light tapping sounds as she head for the pokeballs on the bedside table and releasing Pika in the process.

Yellow smiled a little as she watched the two mouse pokemon dance around each other, their pouches sparkling with electricity, obviously happy to see each other again, even if it had only been a night away. It made Yellow a little wistful to note how fortunate they are to be able to spend them with their significant other, and her eyes appeared dazed, before subconsciously flitted to Red's sleeping figure with a small sigh. Shaking the thoughts away, she laid out the contents of the basket she had brought together with her on the hospital table while softly humming a tune, the sound of pikachu chatters in the background.

As if on cue, there was a slight rustle of bedsheets and Yellow glanced briefly at the figure on the bed. "Morning, Red," she greeted, watching in slight amusement as Red transgressed through the various stages of waking up. "Mor-or-ning Yellow," he greeted back amidst a yawn, failing miserably to hide said yawn behind his hands.

Yellow smiled. "You're just in time for breakfast. If I had known you would wake up this readily to the smell of food that would have been the first thing I brought when I visited you," she teased. Red had been in a coma for months when she had first visited him in the hospital, and continued to spend the months after in a coma as well. It was only a few weeks ago that he had finally regained conscious, and Yellow was nothing but glad that he had finally woken, much to everyone's relief.

Red managed a sheepish grin at her, rubbing the back of his neck in a apologetic way, even as his other hand reached shamelessly for a slice of bread from the table. Shaking her head at his childish antics, Yellow reached for a slice of bread as well, and began their daily breakfast chatter.

...

"You're the best, Yellow," Red declared as he patted his satisfied belly from the breakfast. "Any man would be so fortunate to have you preparing food for them every morning," he clarified upon seeing Yellow cock her head to the side in slight confusion, grinning broadly as he did so.

Yellow ducked her head in slight embarrassment. "I'm sure there are guys out there who can actually cook..." her voice drifts off as a memory surfaces - a picnic, laughter, spiky brown hair - before it vanishes in front of her eyes.

"Not me of course," Red grinned, oblivious to the inner thoughts of Yellow.

Yellow could only give a weak smile in response, before changing the topic to push the memories away. "The weather looks nice, do you want to head out for a change? I think Saur the others would love to be out of their pokeballs after so long."

"Sure! Better than being cooped up in the hospital room all day long. Could you push the wheelchair near me please?"

Without another word, Yellow reached for the wheelchair and proceeded to help Red shift from the hospital bed to the wheelchair and pushed him slowly out of the hospital room.

...

"I can't wait till I can walk on my own," Red sighed, watching his pokemon revel in the freedom of outdoors.

"The doctor said you have to give yourself a bit more time," Yellow chided. "You're making great improvements already, I'm sure it'll happen in no time."

"Yeah.. I guess I just feel bad that these guys can't be out of their pokeballs as often as they would like."

"I'm sure they understand, Red," Yellow said gently.

After a few more moments of watching his pokemon, Red chanced a glance at the blond-haired girl beside him. "I should apologise to you too, Yellow."

"Hm? What for?" Yellow asked, tearing her eyes away from the playing pokemon to look at Red.

"I missed your birthday. I promised I would be there but I didn't make it in the end. You must have been upset at me," Red said, eyeing Yellow's response intently.

Yellow fidget slightly at the topic, her stomach clenching slightly at the topic of conversation Red had chosen. True, she had been very upset when Red didn't turn up for her birthday, but that was so long ago, and she had already moved past it. (' _Have I really moved past it?'_ Yellow asked herself, unsure of the answer.) Regardless, it wasn't like Red had the chance to turn up when he was in a coma.

"It's not your fault, Red," she mumbled a reply. ( _'Perhaps it's mine for not having faith in him? But then again we were not bounded to each other or anything, so is it really my fault?'_ )

Red hummed something noncommittal, before stating determinedly, "I still broke my promise though, so you deserve an apology."

A bemused smile graced her lips at Red's determination, and as per unspoken request she replied with a "I forgive you, Red," earning her a satisfied grin in response.

Another moment of comfortable silence passed before Red decided to broach the topic that he had in mind all along. "I don't suppose I still stand a chance after all this?" he asked casually.

Startled, Yellow turned to stare wide-eyed at her black haired companion, as she was struck speechless by the unassuming question. "Wh- wh- what do you mean?" she stuttered, mind whirling at the possibilities this conversation could descend to.

"Do I still stand a chance? With you?" Red repeated. "... I've heard some stuff from the other dexholders. Just a slip of tongue, nothing much, seems like everyone was intent on not letting me know anything. You seemed to be behaving quite oddly when Green came by the few times to visit. Is there something going on between you and Green?"

On her end, Yellow flustered at being confronted with the topic, one that she still doesn't have answers for herself, nor is she ready to confront. She opened and closed her mouth a few times, wanting to spill everything in her confused mind - her feelings, her thoughts - because this is Red, her best friend (well one of them) that she can speak to without holding back, without feeling afraid. But she doesn't want to hurt Red's feelings (because it's Red), so she settled for a "I don't know," keeping her gaze fixed on the ground.

Red didn't respond for a long while, staring at her like he's trying to figure out a puzzle. (In the silence that follows, it struck Yellow how true her statement was despite her utter confusion.)

"Does he makes you happy?" Red asked finally.

Yellow pondered over the statement, thinking back to all the times they spent together. Laughter, joy, a sense of bliss and lightheartedness. She smiled wistfully at the memories. "Yeah, he does."

"Is it me then? Am I the problem?"

Silence greeted his words, as Yellow refused to admit out loud the truth of the question. It just didn't seem fair to label Red as the problem when he wasn't the one at fault.

Decision made, Red leaned towards Yellow to kiss her on the lips. The blond-haired girl stiffened at the contact, hands reaching up to push him away, but he remained insistent, capturing her lips with his own. A few moments later, Red released the pressure and looked down at her seriously. "You are reluctant," he commented, "Do you feel guilty kissing me?"

Clenching her eyes shut, Yellow swallowed before giving a slight nod, the back of her eyelids warming up as tears collect in her eyes.

"Do you feel the same guilt being with Green then?" Red prodded gently, smiling sadly at the girl in front of him.

"I'm sorry, Red," Yellow mumbled, once she collected herself enough.

In a gesture of affection, Red wrapped Yellow in his arms, rubbing soothing motions up affected down her back. "Don't blame yourself, maybe it just wasn't fated to be."

Oblivious to the exchange between their trainers, Red's and Yellow's pokemon continued to play around, their cries revealing their joy of being in the open. Red watched as Pika and Chuchu chased each other on the grass, occasionally tackling each other in a show of affection.

"You know, I think Pika and Chuchu are going to be pretty upset that they can't live together," Red commented offhandedly, earning a startled laugh from Yellow.

"Probably," Yellow agreed. "I'm sure they could deal with it though."

Red only hummed in response. _Yeah, we all will in time._

* * *

 **Notes:**

 **Red is a lot less oblivious here than what most people make him out to be. I stand by the idea that Red is capable of perceptiveness, particularly towards the people close to him. Hence, even though nothing concrete was mentioned, he was able to piece out a vague idea of the story in between Yellow's birthday and now, through the small things other Dexholders have mentioned and Yellow's and Green's behaviour (presumably, when Green visited Red in the hospital).**

 **A/N:**

 **Took me a (long) while, and writing this in a few settings but it finally strung together. It was my intention from the start to NOT have this be Special oriented, though like the last chapter, I hadn't actually planned on writing a Red x Yellow chapter per se. One thing I would like to point out is that I have been labeling each chapter as character x character rather than the name of the shipping - to me they are not the same, as shipping suggests some form of romantic/love interest relationship. The purpose of the chapters is to explore relationship in general between the characters (of which romantic relationship take a huge focus).**

 **The last chapter also mentioned that this last two chapter came about from a question I had in mind, that being how right/wrong would it be for one party of the relationship to move on, when the other party is in a state of coma or something like that. It didn't worked out exactly in this story, but it was kind of like a food for thought that led to the progression of the story.**

 **I see that there are some new readers around since I last updated. *waves hi to everybody* The next few chapters should come along more easily, though I should get better at writing the additional chapters that I inserted into the main skeleton of the story.** **A reviewer brought up to me that chapters aren't supposed to have non-story portions, so I have removed the first chapter of contents and shifted it to my profile. I hope you enjoyed the update, and thank you as always for the support. Another long a/n, but let me know in the review what you think and any mistakes you find in the story.**


	9. Silver x Lyra: Counting

**Chapter 9: Silver x Lyra**

Counting

I.

The first time he saw her, he thought he was hallucinating. What was Crystal doing at the Game Corner with Gold of all people? Have they made up somehow and he was left out of the loop? Since when did Crystal even visit the Game Corner?

He soon realised however, that he was wrong. The girl he sees is not Crystal but her twin sister, Lyra. The intrigue ended, he broke out of his trance and then blocked his mind out of the incessant chatter. (Later, he would wonder how and why twins can be so different.)

II.

The second time he saw her, she annoyed the hell out of him when she stormed up to him, demanding that he tell her where Gold is. He can't say he's surprised they ended up in such a mess, but he never expects the chatterbox to be so stubborn and annoying when she wants to. (Then again, she is Crystal's twin, so really, it's not that much of a surprise.)

He gave in eventually, when Lyra started screaming, tears rolling down her cheeks, screaming loudly about "jerks" and "heartbreakers" while tugging him in the middle of the street no less. He wasn't the one who landed her in this mess, but the people of Viridian City sure didn't think so. When a woman decide to be so woman, no man can escape the wrath of it. (He thinks of Crystal and Blue at their worse and a shudder runs up his spine.)

III.

He didn't see her again for a long time after that. After all, they no longer have any common link that made them cross paths, especially not when they are in separate continent. (He doesn't really think of Lyra when he's with Crystal, but it's kind of hard not to be reminded of her sometimes, since they are twins.) In retrospect, there must have been some truth in the third time being the charm, because that was when she gave him a near heart attack.

He had been in the midst of training when he found her knee high in the tall grass of route 44, saying something about trying to find an orange apricot. He would have been perfectly pleased to leave her alone, but Lyra being Lyra didn't have the same intentions of leaving him alone and began chattering away to his turned back as she updated him on her life. Like a switch turned on, he automatically tuned out of her talking after a minute or so, grumbling internally about his luck. And he would have continued, until a scream split the air and he whipped around to find Lyra being attacked by a horde of Gliscor.

What followed was a blur which Silver didn't remember in full details. All he remembered was how hard it was fighting the herd of Gliscor (there was a reason why he wanted to train there afterall), another scream, a strong force knocking him to his side and an unconscious Lyra lying in a pool of her own blood.

It looked so wrong to see Lyra surrounded by a sea of red, a sight he wished he would never have to see again while his pokemon fended off the last of the Gliscors. He had to fight off the rising panic in him, scrambling for the last specks of calm, before he had the sense to fly Lyra hurriedly back to Blackthorn for treatment. Even then, that did nothing to his anxiously pumping heart as he fervently wished that nothing will happen to the girl in his arms. Like a broken record, all he could see was the image of Lyra taking the blow meant for him and the sight of her lying in her blood, and the gnawing guilt that he had failed to protect her.

IV.

The fourth time he sees her again, she was lying asleep on the hospital bed, her face so pale it was like she could disappear into the sheets anytime. The doctors have said she was lucky that the attack missed her vital organs, and that she was brought in time to the hospital. It struck him then how lucky she was (and in some ways, that also equates to him), and also how fragile she looked then, like a china doll. (He has a fleeting vision of Blue and Crystal in the same situation, and his stomach gave a funny lurch at that thought.)

That night, he sat by her bed, keeping a silent vigil, blocking his own memory of the heart attack he received.

V.

The fifth time he sees her again, he was met with her brown eyes looking curiously at his slumped figure over her hospital bed.

"Don't ever do that again," he threatened weakly as relief coursed through him to see her awake, even if she still seemed paler than usual.

She gave a small smile. "I'm glad you're alright."

Silver looked at her like she has grown two heads (and she must have, he thinks, if all she could still think of right now is him when she's the one lying on the hospital bed). "You are an idiot," he tells her, bringing a palm up to rub his face.

She grins at the familiar sight of a grumpy Silver. "I'm your idiot though," she says cheekily, earning her a huff and an eye-roll.

That day, he left her with a "Take care of yourself, I won't be there to save you next time."

In response, he got a drawl of "Maybe..." and a playful glint in her eyes that he refused to interpret.

...

He stops counting the number of times they met after that, because it simply took too much effort with how frequent they see each other. He isn't surprised though, when he find out that Lyra still keeps a log of the number of times they meet, and have to shake his head at the silliness of it all.

...

365 days and still counting.

* * *

A/N:

This chapter was hard to write, because I lost the original completed draft of the chapter and had to rewrite the whole thing. It didn't help that I remembered the original chapter to be perfect but for the life of me can't remember what I wrote because everything came out in a flow on a 30 minute train ride. Trying to reconstruct something that you remember was perfect but only had vague memories of is not fun and I feel disappointed that I couldn't recapture what I wanted to capture originally. But it's lost to the world so I have to spend some time working on this to get it out properly again. Got stuck near the end but I liked how this turned out too.

Hope you enjoyed this, and as always, review to let me know what you think.

In other notes, I reread the last chapter and found that I liked it a lot better than when I posted it. Must have grown on me ;)


	10. Gold x Crystal: Second Chance

**Chapter 10: Gold x Crystal**

Second Chance

For as long as Gold had known Crystal, arguments have been a part and parcel of their relationship. It's the norm, one would say, and their fellow Dexholders have long gotten used to their antics. (Or if you asked Emerald, he would grumble and declare decisively that Gold is not good enough for his sister figure.)

When they finally got together, the arguments stayed, and in fact even got worse. Arguments escalated into wars, and fellow Dexholders are forced to pick sides when they are unfortunate enough to be close by during a fight, though of course, their opinions were always left unheard because they are both equally hotheaded when in a temper. There would be cold wars, lasting anywhere between hours to weeks, and Blue would often joke that they're fighting like an old married couple again. It didn't matter though, because the argument would eventually be put passed them, and things would go back to normal again.

Until it didn't.

It started out like every other argument they had, a complain here, a rebuttal there, and a full-out opinion war. But with Gold's ability to put his foot in his mouth, he would inadvertently have crossed the line some day, saying things he didn't mean just to spite Crystal. At that point, Crystal had turned oddly calm, before slapping him square on the cheek and spitting out a "let's break up". She stormed away afterwards, leaving Gold to nurse an aching cheek, wondering how things escalated like this.

Like all wars before this, he left Crystal alone to cool down. He thought that she was just in one of her anger fits and decided to coax her another day when she is more calmed down. But he was dead wrong, because the next thing he knew, Crystal was adamant on refusing to see him or answering his calls, Green had confessed his feelings for Crystal, and then they were an item.

It was stupid, Gold would eventually conclude, because he doesn't even remember what he had said that caused the break up.

They hadn't spoken much since, because it's just a fine line between love and hate, right? On her part, it's because she feels so hurt by the things he do, the things he say, accumulated beyond a threshold that she can no longer tolerate it. Looking at him brings back all the hurt he has inflicted on her, because at one point in time, she loved him so much.

On his part, it's because he feels so betrayed by her abrupt actions. They always had this dynamic, arguing, fighting, only to get back together again. In a way, Gold liked this dynamic, because to him it symbolised how resilient their relationship is, no matter how many times it threatens to break down. But suddenly, she just declared that everything is over and sought comfort in another guy, never bothering to explain herself anymore than that. So he channeled that energy elsewhere, dated her sister just so he could spite her, until he could lie to himself no longer.

The guilt for his actions consumed him, ate him from inside out while he tried to pretend that he enjoyed going out with Lyra. Sure, Lyra was fun and bubbly and she looks like Crystal, but she is an opposite. She isn't Crystal. So like the jerk he was to her sister, he broke up with Lyra, while he wallowed in self-pity. And just like that, his emotions turned into this bitter hate, a constant reminder in the depths of his heart that after all this time, Crystal still mattered a lot to him.

Life goes on.

He buried his emotions within him, and people around him learnt not to mention Crystal or Lyra within his presence. He still hear things, because a subconscious part of him still longs to know how Crystal is doing, where she is now. Where once upon a time, he would the first to be informed of the ongoings of the Johto trio, this time Gold was one of the last person to find out that Crystal and Green had broken up. By then though, Silver had long gone to Kalos to look for Crystal, and he could barely find the energy to feel betrayed by his best friend. In his heart, he prayed that Silver will be right for Crystal, and that he would be the one to heal her broken heart. (Because no matter what he may think or say, he still understood Crystal like the back of his hand.)

...

At night, he dreams that he was the one in Kalos with Crystal, mending her heart under the beautiful star lights and night lights of the Kalos region.

...

He sees her now, five long years after the horrible argument that led to their breakup.

She looks just how like he remembered her to be. Kalos seemed to have been good for her, even if Silver had come back without her. Yet she had grown up, he could feel. The air around her holds some sort of maturity now, no longer the teenager that she was when she left, no longer his same Super Serious Gal. In its place stood a young woman, one who has grown through her many past relationships.

They stand here now, five years later. She looks beautiful in the midnight blue gown that she had donned for today's Pokemon Association Ball, overcoming the history of the past five years, as they make small talk about each other's life amongst the newly bloomed flowers of the spring.

The sky is clear tonight, allowing the stars she loves so much to dominate the skies, shining dimly above the once couple. The new moon is out, a perfect sign of a new beginning on this cool spring night.

"Can I get a second chance?" he asks.

* * *

 **Story notes:**

I imagine the scene of the second to be in a garden of some sorts, where the both of them had gone to take a little breather from the Ball and met each other again under the starlight.

 **Author notes:**

This was basically a (major) rewrite from my original draft. I'm not sure if it's because I have the draft, but it wasn't too difficult trying to create the kind of atmosphere I wanted to experiment with since the start of the fic. This was my second favourite chapter from the original drafts I have (though it probably lost its ranking now that I've added some more chapters to the series). I'm finding it hard to write fics based on the Manga now, because the community is just so dead there's nothing to feed off. But I still have my drafts, and in just a few more chapters we will have the Epilogue to round everything off. Thank you for sticking around, even though the first chapter isn't really stellar. I hope you still found something in here that you like.


End file.
